


Healing through a Holiday

by vanilla107



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Catra is wrecked with guilt, F/F, adora tries to cheer her up but it doesn't work, after the war, and catra is just frustrated, but dampens the mood, they go on holiday
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-03-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:41:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23183413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vanilla107/pseuds/vanilla107
Summary: “Think about it. How long did it take you to get over what the Horde did to you, your friends and Brightmoon?" Catra yelled.Adora froze.The Horde had lied to her, manipulated her, almost made her harm innocent people and...and took her away from her family.Suddenly she was knocked off her feet, the breath whooshed out of her stomach and she landed painfully on the rocky ground. She felt a weight on top of her and came face to face with the all too familiar blue and amber eyes.Except the eyes held something more than rage...there was heartbreak in them.
Relationships: Adora & Catra (She-Ra)
Kudos: 33





	Healing through a Holiday

Catra held every urge to pounce on Sea Hawk as he belted out another one of his shanties. It wasn’t that she had a problem with him specifically but then again she hadn’t expected him to sing shanties from the time their flight took off from Johannesburg till they landed in Cape Town till now. 

“Sea Hawk,  _ enough _ with the shanties! It’s six in the morning and some of us aren’t morning people,” Mermista said, a hidden threat in her words and Catra sent her a silent thank you before closing her eyes.

The silence didn’t last long when a sudden burst of pop music forced her out of her sweet daze and she glared at Frosta, who was smiling with her mini Bluetooth speaker, trying to do...a dance?

At least Catra _thought_ it was a dance.

“C’mon Glimmer! Do the dance with me!” Frosta begged, hopping up and down.

“Frosta, I-”

“But you danced with me yesterday in the lobby of our hotel!”

“Because you wouldn’t stop- Oh fine! I’ll dance!” the princess huffed but the smile on her face was undeniable and the brunette winced as the volume increased.

“Frosta, Glimmer...I don’t think it’s safe to dance on a moving bus-” Perfuma said gently but was interrupted.

“-But we could test your reflex skills...” Entrapta grinned excitedly from the back and Scorpia laughed as she turned to look at Catra, who covered her head with her hoodie. 

All the way in front, Adora sat next to Bow, who was talking excitedly about the tourist attractions from a brochure. The blonde was only half listening though as she glanced worriedly at the feline who seemed to be getting more and more antsy by the second.

“Oh and we can go to the Slave Lodge Museum and then the Company Gardens and- Adora? Are you okay?”

Adora turned to face him and he looked at her then Catra, who looked desperate for an escape.

“I’m worried about Catra...”

“Well to be fair...when  _ aren’t _ you worried about Catra?” he said, a teasing lit to his voice and she flushed red.

“That’s...that’s not the point Bow! This holiday was supposed to be relaxing and to put the history of the Horde and the war behind us! It’s been six months since the war ended and these portals are one of the few ways we can go to other universes! This portal opened up to Earth specifically and all the places we’ve been to so far have been great but...Catra...she doesn’t seem to be enjoying herself!” Adora sighed.

“Okay...how about when we get back to the hotel, we plan out the next three days? We have a week left before our flight to Durban so we need to make this trip a memorable experience for us. Cape Town is one of the major cities in South Africa and there’s loads to do. There has to be something she’ll like!” he said positively and she nodded in agreement. 

“It’s settled then! We’ll plan the best trip for Catra and hopefully...it’ll work out.”

-

The next few days did not work out.

They went to Bo-Kaap, a community of vibrant coloured houses, but the heat made Catra grumpy and she refused to be in any photos. They went to Charley’s Bakery to get cupcakes but Catra complained that the heat melted her icing. 

Boulder’s beach was next for day two but when a group of penguins got too close to the brunette, it was claws and feathers in the air.

On day three, Catra complained that the museums were boring and strawberry picking was a waste of time. The tour of the wine farm didn’t go as planned either when the feline demanded they get a bottle to have back at the hotel and Mermista said no. It almost lead to them being kicked off the wine farm but Perfuma managed to calm them down and they fortunately got to stay for the rest of the day.

“Ugh,  _ why _ is nothing working!” Adora said in frustration as she fell on her bed after they got back to the hotel, Bow and Glimmer shutting the room door.

“We still have the hike tomorrow...” Bow said comfortingly but Adora groaned in defeat.

“Bow...I don’t know if that’s going to work especially with ‘the stupid freaking heat’!” Adora mumbled, air quoting Catra’s exact words at the bakery. “We’ve tried everything! I don’t know what to do anymore!” 

“Look Adora...I know that you’re trying to make Catra’s experience a good one but...if she’s really not having a good time...then maybe you need to stop trying...”

“But Glimmer-”

“-I’m sure Glimmer doesn’t mean Catra shouldn’t have a good time but if Catra isn’t having fun then...you shouldn’t be the one to force it. It’s your holiday too,” Bow said softly, placing a hand on the blonde’s shoulder. 

Adora was quiet, their words stinging with truth and she rested her head in her hands. The princess and the archer sat down next to her.

“I know you guys are right...I just wish she could see how amazing this holiday is. It’s been three days and Catra hated everything! Everything we planned to try to make her have a memorable time was wasted! It feels like she’s being so...selfish!” she yelled and picked up a pillow and threw it angrily across the room. 

“Adora, you’ve already done as much as you can. Try to relax and enjoy yourself. If Catra is being difficult then fine but you deserve a holiday too,” Glimmer said comfortingly hugging the blonde.

Adora nodded and hugged the princess back before a cough came from Bow and made her look up. He had made his way to the corner of the room where she had thrown her pillow.

“Uhhh...Adora? Will we have to pay for this?” Bow asked, holding up the pillow that was now leaking feathers through a hole.

“Oh no...” she said but she couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out of her throat and soon Glimmer and Bow were laughing with her.

“Okay, new plan. We ask the receptionist how much we need to pay for the replacement of the pillow and you enjoy your holiday whether Catra does or not!” Glimmer grinned, wiping tears from her eyes and Adora smiled. 

“Thanks guys. I...I’m really happy you’re my friends.”

“We’ll always have your back Adora. Now let’s go to have dinner at the restaurant downstairs! I’m hungry!” 

\--

Adora wiped the sweat off her brow before turning back to her friends who were climbing behind her.

The view was beautiful, the fynbos and natural vegetation framing her friends and she could just see the ocean peeking from behind the bushes. She looked up at the sky, the grey clouds shading them from the sun but a chilly breeze ruffled her hair. 

“You guys okay?” she asked and Glimmer grinned as she teleported beside her.

“Fit as a fiddle!” the princess laughed.

“No fair! Glimmer can just teleport and not get tired when-” Bow broke off, trying to catch his breath and Adora chuckled.

“Well maybe you’d be more fit if you exercised more!” Glimmer teased and the archer rolled his eyes.

“Oh, I’m sorry!  _ Who _ was making weapons during the war? Not you Glimmer!” he yelled and the princess giggled as she teleported next to him and booped his nose.

Adora laughed before her eyes flitted to Catra, the feline who looked grumpier than usual, glaring at her from the back of the group. 

Previously, Adora would’ve felt hurt that Catra wasn’t having a good time but she was focusing on herself and she wanted to have a good holiday. She glared right back at her and continued to hike up the mountain. 

The hiking guide had advised them to follow the path and not stray from the group. Mermista, Sea Hawk, Entrapta and Perfuma all decided to take the shorter route and they decided to take the longer one.

“Last one to the top is a rotten banana!” she yelled and almost immediately, Catra surged forward, her eyes glittering with competition. She jumped over Glimmer and Bow before landing in front of Adora, a look of disinterest on her face. 

“Was that supposed to be fun? Because if it was...then you kinda suck at it, Adora.” 

“Well at least I’m trying to have fun! Unlike you!” Adora snapped and the brunette growled.

The unresolved tension over the last couple days was resurfacing and Glimmer and Bow looked at the girls worriedly. 

“Unlike me? What I want to know is how can you possibly have fun when-”

The feline was cut off when she felt a drop of water hit her face. 

“Is...is it raining?” she asked and Bow ran up to them, trying to change the topic.

“Perfuma did warn me about rain but it’s just drizzling so we’ll be fine-”

As if on cue, it started to rain harder and panic settled into the group of friends. Adora knew the path would become slippery and the last thing she wanted was for one of her friends to get hurt.

“Okay, guys let’s go back down slowly and-”

Thunder rumbled and she knew that even though she was hiking with the same people who saved Etheria, they were still scared of storms. Bow and Glimmer sped up the path as fast as they could and it was only her and Catra, the feline hissing at her fur being wet.

“Catra, c’mon! Let’s go!”

“I’m not going anywhere with you!”

“Don’t you dare make me turn into She-ra to carry you to safety!” Adora threatened.

They glared at each other for a few seconds, Adora thinking that Catra was going to just give in before the feline darted into a cave that was on the side of the mountain. The blonde gritted her teeth before following her into the dark cave.

It was small but she could still stand in it and she squinted in the darkness, trying to find the brunette and she could just make out her form leaning against one of the rocks as she dried her hair.

“What is your _problem_ Catra? You’ve been impossible since the start of this holiday and...and I don’t know why you decided to come with if you’re just going to be sulking the entire time!”

The feline’s blue and amber eyes flashed with anger before she stepped into the dim light.

“You really don’t see the problem with  _ this _ ?” she spat, her tone making Adora wince.

“Ever since the war ended, you think it’s been rainbows and cakecups-”

“I think you mean cupcakes?”

Catra bared her teeth at the blonde and she lunged, knocking the girl to the ground. 

“You don’t need to correct me on everything I say!” she shrieked and Adora, using her upper body strength, pushed the feline off of her and immediately pinned her to the ground.

“What is wrong with you?” Adora yelled.

“What’s wrong with  _ me? _ What’s wrong with  _ you? _ You think everything is fine now that the war is over? That everything is okay because we’re no longer fighting? Well surprise Adora, it’s not!” Catra growled and pushed her off before going into a defensive pose.

“What do you mean?” Adora asked, her fists clenched and her legs ready to move if Catra lunged again.

“ _ Think _ about it. How long did it take you to get over what the Horde did to you, your friends and Brightmoon?”

Adora froze.

The Horde had lied to her, manipulated her, almost made her harm innocent people and...and took her away from her family.

Suddenly she was knocked off her feet, the breath whooshed out of her stomach and she landed painfully on the rocky ground. She felt a weight on top of her and came face to face with the all too familiar blue and amber eyes.

Except the eyes held something more than rage...there was heartbreak in them.

“Adora...Lonnie can’t get out of bed most days. Kyle doesn’t want to talk to anyone, not even Rogelio and I...I’m pretty sure Scorpia feels pain when she looks at the Princesses that she fought who are now her friends and I...”

Catra’s voice cracked and Adora was stunned into silence. 

“I  _ hate _ that I’ve suddenly been forgiven and everything is supposed to be fine but it’s  _ not _ . This holiday was supposed to be some sort of relaxation but all I see...are the people I hurt the most.”

Adora felt sadness deep inside her spread through her body.

_ Catra feels like she doesn’t deserve to have a good time because of the guilt?  _

“I-” she began but was cut off. 

“No Adora! Don’t apologize! This...this isn’t your fault. I’m sorry for how I’ve been acting lately but...maybe I should just go back to Etheria,” the brunette murmured.

“Catra...that’s not what I was going to say...I...I should’ve been there for you and the others after the war. You fought with us against Horde Prime and...and I should’ve been there for you after it all. I know how long it took me to settle into Brightmoon and...and how lonely it felt at first.”

Catra got off of the blonde and sat on the ground, her head buried in her knees as Adora sat up straight.

“It’s different. The people, the food, everything about Brightmoon is different to the Horde and...and it’s overwhelming,” she said, her voice soft.

“I should’ve checked on you more regularly,” Adora said, hesitating to put a hand on the feline’s shoulder.

“You did but...I lied. Guess my pride and stubbornness got in the way...as always,” she murmured.

The rain was soothing in the cave and the two of them sat in silence, looking at the view of the choppy grey sea. 

“I should’ve told how I felt even though it’s hard for me. I’m sorry for being obnoxious for the last couple weeks,” Catra murmured and Adora felt a sense of relief that her friend was opening up to her. 

“Thank you for telling me. I forgive you.”

At those words Catra looked up and into Adora’s eyes, the ‘I forgive you’ sounding like it meant more than just for ruining part of their holiday. 

Catra inwardly sagged under the weight of the words and knew she had to make it right between them. 

“So...I did some research and...there’s a botanical garden called...Kirstenbosch Gardens...not to far from here. We could have a picnic there tomorrow with everyone...if you want and if the weather is not crazy like it is now,” Catra offhandedly said with a shrug, her heart was beating so loudly she could hear it.

“I’d like that.”

She could tell Adora was smiling and in a way, it was once step closer to them being where she wanted them to be.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> I wrote this piece for the She-Ra travel zine! I hope you all liked it and thank you for reading!
> 
> Stay healthy, especially in this time of uncertainty with COVID-19.
> 
> vanilla107   
> xoxo


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